Improvement in washing-machines



A; P'. LADD.-

v WASHING-MACHIN E. .No. 191 ,865, Patenta& Jun lz, 1877.

NJETERS, FHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. 0. 0.

emren S ATES ALEXANDER P. IaADD, OF ST. LAWRENGE, NEW YORK.

IMPROVENENT IN WASHING-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. !91,865. dated June 12,1877 application filed May 17, 1877.

To all whom it may conccm:

Beit known that' I, ALEXANDER P. LADD, of St Lawrence, in the county ofJefferson and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Washing- Machines; and l do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same, reference being had to the acconpanying drawings, and totheletters of reference marked thereon, which form' a part of thisspecification.

My invention relates to that class of washing-machines in which theclothes are inclosed in an inner hollow and ribbed or perforated`cylinder, which is revolved with the clothes,

the whole being contained and operated in an outer box or outer case ortub; and my invention consists in a novel form and arrangement of floatsor ribs in a hollow cylinder or case for containing the clothes andrubbing the same, and also directing the currents of water upon andthrough the clothes, as will be fully understood by the` followingdescription.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top view of mywashing-machine, the cover being partly cut away to show the hollowcylinder or clothes-carrier. Fig. 2 is a vertical section ot' mymachine. u

The outer box A may be of any suitable form, supported on legs B, Fig.2.

The hollow cylinder or clothes-carrier is made with two solid heads U,to the circumference of which are attached a circle of ribs or beatcrs,D, in a manner similar to the floats of an undershot water-wheel. Theseribs are very thick at their inner edges, which may be roundedfor finerclothes, and have' corners for coarser washing, as desired, both ,formsbeing shown in Fig. 2. These ribs are I made sharp at their outer edges,for the purpose of so striking the water as 'to direct the currentsagainst and through the clothing when the cylinder and clothes arerevolved or worked back and 'forth by means of the crank F, upon whichthe cylinder is supported and operated.

The clothes are put into the hollow cylinder or carrier through the doorE in the usual manner.

The box A is to be filled with Water, say to the line zt m, Fig. 2,about one-fourth the diameter of the cylinder of beatcrs, the sharpouter edges of which direct the water-current against and through theclothes resting on the inside of the beaters D.

I find that the machine works better by frequently reversing the motionof the cylinder or clothes-carrier, and changing the action of themachine upon the clothes. i

I do not broadly claim a hollow cylind'er or clothes-carrier, but limitny improvement to the arrangement and construction of the same, andespecially to the beaters D, having their inner surfaces arranged like acontinuous set of rubbers, and their outer edgcs setting radiallyoutward, as shown in Fig. 2; and I am aware that'slats have been usedsimilar 'in shape to my beaters D, but set obliquely, instead ofradially, in the cylinder or clothescarrier, and working in onedirection only, as shown in the patent of S. Gr. Rice, dated May 25,1869, and also that slats have been used with one end beveled on oneside, and the other end beveled in the opposite direction, as shown inthe patent of B. Bisbee, dated August 14, 1866, in which machine themotion of the cylinder or clothes-carrier may be reversed, one end ofthe same working in one direction, and the other end in the oppositedirection, and neither end of the slats being set radially, but bothbeing set obliquely in opposite directions; but, in my machine, thebeaters or slats are set radially, or with their sharp edges directlyoutward, so as to take the Water and direct currents into the cylinder,thus allowing a reverse of motion, with a complete and equal reverse'action on the clothes. This reverse action or motion brings a differentsurface of the clothes to the rubbing action ot' the beatcrs, andunrolls or opens the clothes, which would remain rolled together if themachine were to be turned continually in one direction.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is e Theabove-described clothes-carrier or hollow cylinder, provided with ribsor beaters D,

rounded or blunt on their inner surfaces, for In testimony that I claimthe foregoing as rnbbing the clothes. and having sharp edges my own, Iafiix my signature in presence of set rztdiaily outward, so as to directthe curtwo witnesses.

rents of water inward upon and through the ALEX. P. LADD. clothes, andaeting equa-lly well when the witnesses: stroke or motion of the machineis reversed, DANIEL BREED,

substantially as set forth. THouAs O. CONNOLLY.

